iPhone 3G Unlock Finally (Almost) Here

This time around, it took a little longer, but the iPhone 3G has finally been unlocked, thanks to the efforts of the hardworking iPhone Dev Team, makers of the Pwnage Tool, which is used for jailbreaking Apple’s handhelds.

The Dev Team reports successful unlocking, using their oddly codenamed “yellowsn0w,” but they’ve yet to release it to the public. Now, they’re working on repackaging it in user-friendly form, like the Pwnage Tool, so that your average end-user won’t have much trouble tossing off their carrier oppressors.
The unlock, which is said to be dropping Dec. 31, requires a number of things from your iPhone in order to work properly. First, your phone must be using the 2.11.07 baseband or earlier, and using the QuickPwn jailbreaking tool or official firmware updates are both advised against, with the only “safe” method listed being updates via the PwnageTool. There are a whole lot of other specific guidelines, depending on the type of phone you have, and what state it’s in relative to firmware updates, etc.

In related news, the recently released 10.5.6 update apparently blocks Pwnage once again, so if you’re New Year’s resolution involves an unlocked, jailbroken iPhone, you might want to hold off. Also note that the Dev Team has yet to find a workaround for the jailbreaking protection built in to new Apple notebooks, which prevent vanilla, factory phones from being pwned. Users who are already using Pwned 2.1 can still upgrade to Pwned 2.2, however. And, as with any kind of jailbreaking antics, you proceed at your own risk. Potential bricking of unauthorized unlocked phones in the future by Apple is not inconceivable, after all.